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The Free Press
What the Hell Happened to PayPal?
What the Hell Happened to PayPal?
A man using an ATM in New York City in October 1983. (Barbara Alper via Getty Images)
In 1998, the payments app was created to empower individuals. Today, it’s a cornerstone of our emerging social-credit system.
By Rupa Subramanya
12.13.22
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The Free Press
The Free Press
What the Hell Happened to PayPal?

To our veteran subscribers—and to our many newcomers—welcome, again, to The Free Press (formerly Common Sense). We’re so excited you’re here. Please check out our new website for many more stories by today’s author, Rupa Subramanya, and so many others.

And thank you so much for making our work possible. — BW

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Rupa Subramanya

Rupa Subramanya is a writer based in Ottawa, Canada. She began her writing career at The Wall Street Journal India with a weekly column focusing on the intersection of economics, politics, and public policy. Her work has been cited in The New York Times, Financial Times, and The Guardian among others. She is a former columnist for the National Post.

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